No. 91 Pergolas · Mediterranean
Timber Dining Pergola with String Lights
At night, Mediterranean outdoor lighting from string lights and hanging lanterns brightens a timber pergola on terracotta paving, framed by white stucco walls, potted olive trees, and climbing bougainvillea over arches.
Design notes
Mediterranean design is about shade and thick walls. Look for stucco in warm neutrals, terracotta or travertine underfoot, arches and loggias that throw deep shadow, and gravel courtyards rather than lawn. Water is small and central — a fountain, a rill, a tiled spa — and planting is drought-tolerant: olives, cypress, lavender, rosemary and bougainvillea. Wrought iron, blue-and-white tile and a long table under vines finish the picture.
What to look for
- Clearance under the beams — 8 to 10 feet feels right
- Slat spacing and orientation against the afternoon sun
- Posts placed outside the furniture, never through it






